A day that should have involved pomp, ceremony and the election of a new taoiseach and government ended after chaotic and acrimonious Dáil scenes without the nomination of Micheál Martin or a new administration.
Opposition fury over four Independent TDs supporting the Government getting opposition speaking time by joining a technical group resulted in three suspensions before the adjournment of the House until Thursday.
Here is how an unprecedented day in Irish politics unfolded in the Dáil:
11.07am
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A few minutes after the Dáil’s scheduled starting time, Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy recites the Dáil prayer in Irish and English.
She then advises the House that parties and all groups would be facilitated in the speaking arrangements for today “without prejudice” pending a final decision.
She pledged to act with the “utmost impartiality and fairness” on the issue.
Government chief whip Hildegarde Naughton announces speaking times and the Dáil’s rising until February 5th, sparking angry remarks of “this is a joke” and “outrageous”.
11.17am
Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald said “there was no rationale, no excuse and no reason for further delay and this two-week holiday”.
She called the speaking arrangements “a cynical and unprecedented ruse by Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael to place their independent cronies, supporters of the Government, on the opposition benches”.
She had seen “brazen actions” by the two Government parties in the past “but this takes the biscuit”.
11.19am
Labour’s Duncan Smith calls on the Ceann Comhairle “to state on the record of the Dáil that this is a temporary arrangement, just for today”. He adds that unlike what the Tánaiste says, “the public is angry about this”.
Social Democrats’ Gary Gannon says Government action “belies” the “very principle” of parliamentary democracy. “It is unbecoming and we are off to an incredibly bad start in this Dáil.”
People Before Profit leader Richard Boyd Barrett calls the two-week suspension “a farce”. They were taking “the art of speaking out of two sides of your mouth to a new and higher level”.
11.22am
Labour’s Alan Kelly says the Dáil should not be made a show of around the world, setting a precedent “where people who are part of the government are sitting in opposition. What a bloody farce”.
Amid loud interventions and multiple voices talking, Sinn Féin whip Pádraig MacLochlainn claims the Government “designed this situation today” and could resolve it by giving the Independents Government speaking time.
To cheers and jeers he calls for the suspension of the House and a meeting of the business committee which decides the Dáil agenda.
11.25am
The Ceann Comhairle says she will deal with the issue expeditiously, with the end of the day the deadline for submissions. There are immediate calls for her to say when she will reveal the legal advice approving the Independents’ speaking rights.
She calls on TDs not to be “shouting at me and jumping out of your seats”.
But, amid continuous interruptions and roaring, she adjourns the House for 15 minutes at 11.28am.
11.56am
The Ceann Comhairle tells TDs she has given a categorical undertaking to deal with the issue over the Independents “expeditiously”, meaning before the resumption of the Dáil on February 5th.
TDs reacted with angry shouts and repeated calls from People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy: “When do we get the legal advice?”
Several TDs, including Socials Democrats’ Jennifer Whitmore and Sinn Féin’s Thomas Gould, attempt to make a point of order.
Ms Murphy however calls a vote on the Order of Business asking those “in favour” to say “Tá”. Amid further shouting and roaring she says “Deputies who are against, say “Níl”.
When she announces that “the question is carried”, Sinn Féin’s Aengus Ó Snodaigh shouts “not carried, not carried” and more calls are made for points of order.
When the Ceann Comhairle says “we now move to the next business, which is nomination of taoiseach” there are cheers from the Government benches, but calls of “there has to be fairness” and renewed demands for the legal advice to be published. Sinn Féin’s Louise O’Reilly says “we cannot have a vote now”.
11.59am
The Ceann Comhairle announces she will suspend the House for 30 minutes.
1.10pm
After a suspension of more than an hour the Ceann Comhairle calls on the Government chief whip to speak. Hildegarde Naughton says Ms Murphy had given a clear commitment to work with all parties and none to resolve the issue and the Government committed to work to “ensure we have a politically acceptable solution”.
She proposes a 30 minute whips’ meeting “to see if we can find a resolution”. Mr Mac Lochlainn requests an additional 15 minutes “to consult with our parties”. The first and only agreement of the day ensues and the Ceann Comhairle suspends the House for 45 minutes at 1.13pm.
4.20pm
After more than three hours suspension the Dáil resumes. The chief whip says that after numerous meetings “a number of measures have been agreed”. She said all parties had agreed to “allow the democratic process to proceed” to elect taoiseach and government.
She says this should proceed, but Sinn Féin’s Pádraig MacLochlainn insists “there was no agreement”.
Fianna Fáil’s youngest new TD Albert Dolan begins his nomination speech but is soon drowned out by outraged Opposition shouts.
Sinn Féin’s Pearse Doherty says the Ceann Comhairle “may as well take your seat over there if that is the behaviour we are going to see,” referring to the Government benches.
A number of opposition TDs stand to walk out in protest amid loud remonstrating with Ms Murphy but as they do the Ceann Comhairle announces she is adjourning the House until Thursday morning, ending the chaotic and unprecedented proceedings.
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